The Secret Ballot Is More Than Just a Union Principle. It Must Be Our Practice

On Tuesday morning, delegates will have the chance to vote for the Officer candidates they believe will best serve the Ontario labour movement.

It's no secret that this year's election has generated a significant amount of debate.

In the spirit of openness and transparency, we should be honest about how some of this debate has been conducted, its impact on rank-and-file members, and the long-term consequences for labour.

As we approach the election, I have been made aware of real intimidation tactics that some supporters have experienced in private conversations, in phone calls, and on social media, just for showing some kind of public support for my campaign, from liking a post to making a comment.

The threats and intimidation I have heard about resemble the same kind of experiences I have had in the last couple of years: stop speaking out or it could jeopardize your future in the labour movement; stop speaking out or you will get a talking-to; stop speaking out or we will no longer support your candidacy at the OFL Convention or an upcoming union election; stop speaking out or your reputation will take a hit.

These tactics particularly harm Indigenous, Black, and racialized workers, as well as 2SLGBTQIA+ members, or any other delegate who is a member of an equity-seeking group.

To those of you who have experienced this, especially if it followed something you did to support me, I want to say this: I am sorry for what you are going through. It isn't right, it creates fear, and it silences others watching from the sidelines. It replicates the worst employer tactics, and should have no place in our movement.

Worst of all, it undermines rank-and-file participation in union processes, as members decline to put themselves forward, for fear they are not strong enough to withstand the kind of bullying they see others being subjected to.

For all the talk during this election of "centering the members," a lot of members have felt their involvement is only welcome unless they do exactly as they’re told.

Sadly, this phenomenon is all too common. But it helps explain why most unions use the secret ballot to elect union officers. Having the right to cast a secret ballot in any election–whether for the governments that run our country or for our own union leaders–is something that the labour movement fought hard for. It's part of our own proud history.

The purpose of a secret ballot is to ensure that delegates or members can actually vote for the candidates they believe will best serve the labour movement, regardless of any threats, orders, or other pressures they have experienced.

But just because an election is conducted with a secret ballot doesn't mean that delegates will feel confident to vote according to what they really believe. I have already heard delegates say that they're worried that their vote will become public. Others have been told they have no choice about how to vote: that they must vote according to what their executive committees or other leadership bodies have decided ahead of time.

As I have said elsewhere, I respect the internal decision-making processes of affiliates and their right to endorse candidates, promote them, and encourage their members to vote for them.

But that is a very different thing from using intimidation tactics to deny people of one of the most fundamental rights that our movement has fought for: the right to vote in private, according to what you really believe.

The debates that are now becoming more public during this campaign won't end after Tuesday's elections. They are part of a much bigger conversation about how we can build a stronger labour movement: how we conduct ourselves inside the House of Labour will determine whether we will be able to reach the majority of working people in Ontario and draw them into our movement.

If we can't ensure the right of our own members to use the secret ballot, how are we going to build the confidence of non-union workers to join a union in the face of threats from the employer? Or to exercise our right to strike in the face of regressive legislation? Or to vote for the NDP in any election, when the mainstream media is telling workers that NDP candidates have no chance and the outcome is a foregone conclusion?

There comes a time when we all have to decide: what kind of labour movement do we want, and are we willing to stand up for it? Will we choose fear over fairness? Will we choose our career ambitions over principle?

In the last two years, these questions have crystallized for me like never before. Do I speak out over genocide, or do I remain silent? Do I speak out for the fair treatment of Black leaders, or do I remain silent? Do I challenge the whisper campaigns spreading misinformation about me and those who support me, or do I simply walk off the stage?

I hope the path I've taken shows you what kind of leader I want to be, and what I think our movement needs at this critical moment. Most importantly, I hope it gives others confidence to say what they really think, and to fight for a movement where we can fully and freely be our true selves.

Remember this: regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, this particular convention is just one step in what must be an ongoing process of building a fighting labour movement. We're just getting started.

Women, Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized workers, and so many others have fought long and hard for free and fair voting rights–and have demanded the same inside their unions.

Tuesday's ballot is secret. I urge you to use it as you see fit.

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